Drivers

MHC Kenworth Opens Green Dealership

MHC Kenworth officially opened one of the most environmentally friendly dealership in its network on Dec. 31 in Odessa, Texas.

Groundbreaking on the new dealership began in April 2012 with a list of green initiatives and architectural advances.

"We are more than tripling our parts and service capacity," Murphy-Hoffman Company Vice President Marty Dudenhoeffer said.

When designing the more than 40,000-square-foot building that is equipped with 19 service bays, MHC utilized green technology to help in heating and cooling the new facility. Before construction began, 25 wells were drilled below the foundation of the building. Through geothermal technology, water is pumped in and out of these wells and is the sole source of heating and cooling the entire facility.

In addition, energy-saving technology was used in the building. Translucent hollow-core overhead doors were installed in the service department to allow natural light into the building and provide insulation.

Odessa is the third MHC dealership utilizing green technology, as branches in Oklahoma City, Okla. and Jonesboro, Ark. also embrace similar initiatives.

MHC's first branch to implement many of the green technology was Oklahoma City. The facility opened in May 2011, has seen significant improvements in efficiency and cost savings.

"Additionally, because the facility is heated with waste engine oil generated by the shop and heat is further supplemented through the acrylic doors, the need for natural gas has also been reduced," he added.